rockfish, bluefish warning!!!!

[earl of DC]

for all of you who love to eat those trophy size rockfish & bluefish you need to read this!!!:eek:
http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=86870&catid=189

[gpwf20c]

I'm not a women and I'm not pregnant so I'm good.

[cocoflea]

those warning have been around for years so you just have to us your best judgement besides I release what I can eat in a day

[Lipyourown]

Two things, VA has no announcement and it says recreationally caught fish only. They really need to put out a more accurate warning if they are going to put one out at all.

[sniper]

:confused: Are recreationally caught fish somehow different than those caught by commercial fishermen? :spam:

Just something to think about.....smdh

[zam]

I think the main reason the warning is for recreational fishermen is because a rec can consume large amounts of fish. someone who buys the fish from a store are less likely to eat as much, especially since its for "lifetime of exposure"

[GreenFord]

I think the main reason the warning is for recreational fishermen is because a rec can consume large amounts of fish. someone who buys the fish from a store are less likely to eat as much, especially since its for "lifetime of exposure"

Thats the key right there...moderation.

[bassandsurf]

THE WARNING WAS FROM 1972 FOR THE CHEMICAL PCBs,BUT THE CHEMICAL IS STILL BEING USED YOU CAN BET ON THAT.IF IT WAS BANED BUT STILL IN THE ENVIROMENT,I SMELL SOMETHING.MOSTLEY ROCK AND BLUES,bUT THERE ALSO WARNINGS IN VA TAPPAHANOCK HAS SIGHNS EVERWHERE FOR 5 DIFFERENT KINDS OF FISH

[nylfish]

Dnr has some warnings on their website too they even mentioned curtain area with a map to show where not to eat fish from
Congrats on your report Earl of DC I never a fancy of any of the two most time I caught them I gave them away to who soever want them

[Fishbreath]

Cocoflea is right, those warnings have been around for years and it pertains to pretty much all fish, especially those fish that are predatory in nature, such as king mackeral, tuna, blues, stripers, etc.

They even make that recommendation for people who eat canned tuna. As was said, everything in moderation. Makes you wonder about the Omega oils people are ingesting.

Me, I love eating fish, once a week, or every couple of weeks. Them there sea kittens is good eatin' :D

[Normark]

Here's one from New Jersey ..

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2009
Contact: Darlene Yuhas (609) 984-1795
Karen Hershey (609) 984-1795

NEW JERSEY UPDATES ADVISORY FOR CONSUMING LARGE BLUEFISH
(09/P11) TRENTON - The Department of Environmental Protection today announced a new recommendation for consuming large bluefish, a popular species commonly caught in Atlantic Ocean waters.

In coordination with the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services and agencies in six other states, the DEP updated its fish consumption advisories and is recommending that the public consume no more than one meal every other month (six meals per year) of bluefish larger than 24 inches. Previously, fish consumption advisories for large bluefish recommended four meals per year for most people.

Bluefish contain polychlorinated biphenyls at levels which may pose a risk to public health; the same health concern exists for another popular species, striped bass. Long-term exposure to PCBs has been shown to cause cancer and a number of other serious health effects, including damage to the nervous system of developing fetuses, the immune system and the reproductive system.

For bluefish smaller than 24 inches and for striped bass, state officials continue to recommend no more than one meal per month (12 meals a year) for most people. Also unchanged are the bluefish and striped bass consumption advisories for infants, children, pregnant women, nursing mothers and women of child-bearing age - a high-risk group that is advised to avoid eating any bluefish or striped bass caught in Atlantic coastal waters.

Officials in New Jersey and six other coastal states updated their fish consumption advisories based on the results of a multi-state study, which evaluated PCB levels in striped bass and bluefish from Maine to Georgia. Completed in 2008, the study also showed that bluefish and striped bass are not good sources of beneficial fish oils. Different from other fish, these two species have lower amounts of omega-3 fatty acids compared to the amount of PCBs they contain.

The other states -- Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland - also are issuing similar updates and instructing pregnant women, young children and other high-risk people to avoid eating striped bass and large bluefish. All others are advised to consume only moderate amounts of these fish.

Aggressive cleanup efforts and improved disposal practices have reduced PCB contamination in the environment, and a continued decline in PCB levels in fish is anticipated. In the meantime, the public is encouraged to enjoy more frequent meals of other types of marine and freshwater species, such as flounder, weakfish and trout.


And one from Delaware ..

Delaware Joins Six Other East Coast States in Issuing
Health Advisories for Striped Bass and Bluefish Consumption

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, in conjunction with the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health, is updating a fish consumption advisory for striped bass and continuing to maintain the state�s current advisory for bluefish. The advisories for both popular species commonly caught in Atlantic coastal waters as well as the Delaware Bay and River are issued today in collaboration with six other states from New England down through the Mid-Atlantic.

Delaware�s new advisories recommend that those in high risk groups � pregnant women, women who may become pregnant and children under the age of six � not eat striped bass caught from Delaware�s Atlantic coastal waters. Delaware previously issued advisories recommending that high risk groups not consume striped bass caught from the Delaware River and Bay and this advice also remains in effect. The new advice for Atlantic coastal waters reflects the advice given by the majority of other states along the Atlantic coast from Maine to Maryland.

For people not in the high risk groups, consumption of striped bass should be limited to no more than two meals per year for stripers caught in the Delaware Bay (revised from one meal per year in 2008) and, also for the first time, Atlantic coastal waters. The public is also reminded that no one should consume striped bass or any other fish caught from the Delaware River between the mouth of the C&D Canal and the Delaware/Pennsylvania/New Jersey state line north of Wilmington � longstanding advice for that section of the river that remains in effect.

With bluefish, Delaware�s advisories remain the same as in 2008: those in high risk groups are advised to not eat bluefish larger than 14 inches caught from the Delaware Bay and Atlantic coastal waters. For people not in the high risk groups, the public is advised to eat no more than one meal per year of large bluefish caught from the Delaware Bay and Atlantic coastal waters. With small bluefish measuring less than 14 inches, which contain less contaminants, Delaware advisories recommend up to one meal per month for all groups.

�There is a connection between what we do on the land and the health of the fish. Our goals are to clean up remaining sources of PCBs and other contaminants, accelerate improvement in the fish, and ultimately lift or relax some of these advisories. For now, however, the advisories are necessary to protect public health,� said DNREC Secretary Collin O�Mara.
�Fish is a rich source of protein, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids, and eating local fish is a great way to enjoy its healthful benefits. Unfortunately, fish can contain harmful contaminants, so we encourage the public to follow these consumption guidelines to help them make informed choices about the best way to incorporate local fish into their diets,� said Dr. Karyl Rattay, director of Delaware�s Division of Public Health.
Similar advisories are being issued today by Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and Maryland. These states are all instructing pregnant women and young children to not eat striped bass and large bluefish, and are advising the general public to moderate consumption.

According to Delaware officials, large bluefish (measuring more than 14 inches) and striped bass of any size within state legal limits caught in the Delaware River and Bay as well as along the Atlantic coast contain concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are of potential health concern to the general public and especially to those considered at high risk from contaminants as defined above.

In addition to PCBs, these fish are also known to contain other contaminants that contribute to health risks, including mercury, which can affect brain and nervous system development in fetuses, infants and children. PCBs can affect the endocrine system and brain development, and have been found to be carcinogenic in animal studies.
Once widely used as coolants in electric transformers and capacitors, among other commercial and industrial uses, PCBs are no longer manufactured in the United States but they are still in use, primarily in old electrical equipment. Accidental release and poor disposal practices in the past have resulted in widespread contamination problems, as evident from levels in striped bass and large bluefish along the entire northeastern and Mid-Atlantic coast.
Delaware�s updated fish consumption advisory for 2009 stems from a multi-state report finalized in late 2008 which catalogued PCB data for striped bass and bluefish from Maine to Georgia. The report also shows that these fish are not particularly good sources of beneficial fish oils. Compared to other fish, striped bass and bluefish have lower amounts of omega-3 fatty acids relative to the amount of PCBs they contain.
PCB levels in the environment are generally declining, but at a slow rate. The seven states involved in these new advisories will continue to monitor PCB levels and will modify consumption advisories as needed in the future. Delaware officials will continue to track down and control sources of PCBs within their jurisdiction.

For more information, contact Rick Greene, DNREC Division of Water Resources, 302-739-9939. Information is also posted online at www.fw.delaware.gov/Fisheries/Pages...Advisories.aspx .

[Normark]

I think the main reason the warning is for recreational fishermen is because a rec can consume large amounts of fish. someone who buys the fish from a store are less likely to eat as much, especially since its for "lifetime of exposure"
But when they warn you to only have 1 or 2 meals a year dont you think that people buy that much fish ?
Delaware says not to eat but a meal or 2 a year but what happens when those fish in the Delaware Bay decide to migrate and get caught in the Comm's nets .
Do any of you think they get miraculously cured ?
Bottom line is you either eat rockfish or not so if you do you should limit your intake regardless of where it was caught or bought .
Big Blues are :--| anyways ;)

[FrankBay]

All the red meats like beef contain "high' level of PCB compared with spot, flounder, and perch. I did not see any big concern about red meat consumption.

[Normark]

All the red meats like beef contain "high' level of PCB compared with spot, flounder, and perch. I did not see any big concern about red meat consumption.
Exactly ..

Another contaminant, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) more commonly come from meats, dairy products and vegetables in the diet. PCBs levels measured in farmed and wild salmon (ranging from 21 ng/g to 51 ng/g and 0.5 ng/g to 5 ng/g in different studies, respectively) were similar to those in several other foods (70 ng/g butter, 19 ng/g eggs, and 22 ng/g beef).

Taken from ..
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Prevention/4309

[rocket]

I wouldn't be surprised if PETA is somehow involved with overhyping this issue. Kind of a back door way to reduce the murder rate on sea kittens.

[shelties1]

All the red meats like beef contain "high' level of PCB compared with spot, flounder, and perch. I did not see any big concern about red meat consumption.

Probably because the beef industry has more money then the commercial seafood industry, and would benefit from downplaying that fact